1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable device having a telephone-conversation function and additional enhanced features. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable device for multimedia suitable for use in various multimedia environments, in particular devices in a music listening mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among portable devices, portable communication devices having a telephone-conversation function include cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, or the like, and the type of devices with this function continues to grow. A user may enjoy a variety of wireless communication activities using such portable communication devices. For example, wireless communication includes voice communication, message transmission, file transmission, and image communication. Considering the consumer demand for portability, portable communication devices tend to be compact, slim and lightweight. In addition, high-functioning portable terminals, such as smart phones, are required for multimedia availability and are thus capable of providing a wider variety of service functions.
Conventional portable communication devices may be classified according to their appearance in terms of portability and convenience in use, including user interface (UI) environments, into bar-type, folder-type and sliding type portable devices, which are classifications of their external structure. In particular, folder-type portable devices have become very popular. A folder-type portable device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,406, commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application and discloses as background material.
Such popularized folder-type portable devices may provide a degree of convenience to a user in a phone mode for voice communication and message transmission. However, such devices are to a large extent inconvenient under an environment of gradually-improved multimedia availability. For example, the conventional folder-type portable device has shortcomings in that it is inconvenient when used in terms of a UI environment such as a game mode, a DMB mode, a music listening mode, a TV viewing mode or the like. In terms of a data input UI environment, a user may feel comfortable when the convenience of key manipulation is provided. In terms of a data output UI environment, the user may feel comfortable when a wide display unit is provided or a display unit is obliquely mounted. The convenience of key manipulation involves precision, simplicity and rapidity in manipulating keys. In addition, a user feels comfortable in viewing displayed images when a wide display unit is provided.
Under various multimedia environments, a number of different modes are provided. Therefore, a portable device should be convenient in mode-switching through key manipulation or other means.
Of course, while it is possible to increase the size of a portable device so as to provide more keys and a large-sized wide display unit in consideration of various multimedia environments, consumers demand that such portable devices must not be large-sized and heavy, and thus being inconvenient to carry.
Accordingly, there is a long-felt need in the art for a portable device that is small and convenient to carry, and is also capable of providing environments suitable for various multimedia functions, in particular, a data input/output environment, and other UI environments convenient for various multimedia modes.